Hands Off the Bandit, No Da!
by chikki1
Summary: Tasuki finally tells Chichiri about how he feels, but Chiri turns him down. Now, our lovable little monk is in for a surprise when he sees the consequence of his rejection of Tasuki. YAOI (Tas/Chi)
1. part 1

HANDS OFF THE BANDIT, NO DA! (1/3)  
BY : Chikki 

-------- I just want to say thanks to everyone who reviewed my previous fics, na no da. ^___^ I've focused mainly on drawing, but I just decided that I'm going to give a shot at ficcie writing, no da, and all your nice comments made me feel so nice, no da. Arigato Gozaimas! 

Warnings Tasuki has a _VERY_ impressive vocabulary of official "bandit" words, no da…so it's PG 13 for swearing…oh…and some yaoi too,na no da. (^_^)  
Disclaimer Not mine. Never will be,na no da.   
  
  
  


"I'm glad that we got this chance to talk…everything has been so hectic these past few days…" Tasuki said.  
  
"Hai, no da."  
  
"I mean, it's always a good idea to take some time off…It becomes a bad thing if we work our asses off all the time…"  
  
"Hai, no da."  
  
"Not to mention that I have finally decided to give up sake forever so that I could buy Kouji an elephant for his birthday and then I'll turn into a priest for the rest of my fucking life…"  
"Hai, no da."  
  
"Chichiri…"  
  
"Hai, no da?"  
  
Tasuki gave Chichiri an accusing glare and smirked. "You're not listening to me."  
  
Chichiri blushed and looked down. It was true. He had not been paying any attention to Tasuki at all. Wait, that wasn't right. He had been paying attention to Tasuki. He just hadn't been paying attention to what Tasuki had been saying.   
  
"Gomen ne, na no da." The monk apologized. "Please, Tasuki-kun. Continue, na no da."  
  
His younger companion gave an amused nod in his direction before continuing on with his rambling.  
  
The blue haired monk tried desperately to focus on what Tasuki was saying, but it was to no avail. His own mind kept wandering to thoughts about how cute Tasuki's fangs were…and how his hair glistened whenever he moved…Chichiri sighed.  
  
Meanwhile, Tasuki had come to a point in his monolugue that required seriousness and the monk's full attention. He took a deep breath. "Chichiri…" he started and looked up. "You gotta listen to me."  
  
Chichiri rested his gaze on Tasuki. "Hmmm?"  
  
"Well, we've been friends for a really long time now, right?"  
  
"Hai, Tasuki-kun. What are you trying to say, no da?" Chichiri noted with concern that Tasuki's hands were beginning to shake. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? No, nothing's wrong!" Tasuki answered and laughed nervously under the piercing gaze of the other. "No…nothing at all…"  
  
"Well, if you're sure, no da…"  
  
"I'm sure! I'm sure!"  
  
Chichiri decided to ignore the fact that Tasuki was mutilating the fish that he had set before the other seishi and settled back in his seat. "Okay then, na no da. What were you trying to tell me?"  
  
"Well, if we're friends, then we can tell each other anything, right?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"And if we can tell each other anything, then that means that we understand each other…"  
"Hai."  
  
"And if we understand each other,then…"  
  
"Just get to the point, no da."   
  
"Okay…the point is that…I've been watching you, Chichiri." Tasuki took another deep breath and looked up to meet the mahogany gaze of the monk standing before him determinedly. "I've been watching you a lot for a long time now, and…"  
  
Chichiri raised his eyebrows. "And…?"   
  
"And I think I love you."  
  
Chichiri snapped out of the cloudy daze that he was in and nearly choked on his food. "NANI, NO DA?!?"  
  
"Whoa…Easy there, 'Chiri!" Tasuki said, thumping his friend's back.  
  
Finally, the chokes subsided and Chichiri weakly turned to face a furiously blushing Tasuki. "Can you…could you please…repeat that, no da? I..I thought I heard you say that you lo-"  
  
"'Ya didn't hear anything wrong, 'Chiri." Tasuki shrugged.   
  
The monk simply stared at him blankly and sighing, Tasuki bent over a little so that he was at eye level with the older seishi. He placed both of his hands on the other's shoulders. "I love you." He said again.  
  
Chichiri continued to stare blankly at Tasuki and the bandit sighed again in exasperation.   
  
"Me Tasuki." he said slowly and pointed to himself. "You Chichiri." he pointed to the monk and took a hold of the older man's hand. The brigand then raised his eyes to meet Chichiri's.  
  
"Tasuki loves Chichiri." He stated carefully, making sure that there was no space left for any misunderstandings that could occur. "Tasuki. Loves. Chichiri."  
  
Chichiri's eye widened and a faint blush began to appear on his cheeks as comprehension finally began to sink in. Millions of emotions came crashing down on him in the space of a second and he struggled to regain control.   
  
Tasuki gave a sigh of relief and nodded before he released Chichiri's hand. The younger seishi stood up and quickly turned away, his newfound courage beginning to disappear. "I didn't expect you to fall into my arms or anything like that, though…" Tasuki continued with his back still turned towards Chichiri. "I just…I guess I just needed to tell 'ya, that's all."  
  
The stunned monk was completely incapable of doing anything else except to stare at the other man in disbelief. "Tasuki…"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
Chichiri opened his mouth to speak but found that no words came out.   
  
A part of him was happy beyond belief. This part wanted to march over to the young brigand and kiss him senseless. He was overjoyed that the younger seishi had taken an interest in him, yet a larger part of himself felt scared and confused. Even angry at himself that he should allow himself to feel for Tasuki. Slowly, this part beat out the happiness that he felt and Chichiri bowed his head as the confusion began to overwhelm him.  
  
Monks weren't supposed to feel this way.  
  
And yet, he did. Chichiri let out a shaky breath.  
  
What did this mean?  
  
What was going to happen to him now?  
  
The silence had begun to stretch uncomfortably between them and tension was heavy in the air.  
  
Tasuki laid a concerned hand on his friend's shoulder. "Chichiri? Are you okay?"  
  
Slowly, Chichiri's mind came back into focus and he registered everything around him. Unfortunately, he also registered Tasuki's hand on his shoulder, and the fact that the said hand was beginning to massage his shoulder in a very disturbing way,  
  
"Tasuki-kun, no da…"Chichiri began, trying his best to sort out his thoughts in order to find the answer that Tasuki so desperately waited for.  
  
Tasuki brought both of his hands up to his face. "No, 'Chiri…you don't have to answer me…don't let me push you or anything-"  
  
But the monk cut him off with a wave of his own. "Iie, no da…It's all right, actually. In fact, it makes me happy to know that…"  
  
The younger seishi looked up at him, hope beginning to shine in his eyes. "Chichiri? What are you trying to say?"   
  
"It's just that…"Chichiri closed his eye. "I'm a monk, no da."  
  
Chichiri failed to see Tasuki's shoulders slump in defeat as he continued. "…and monks aren't allowed to…I mean, it's forbidden for us to go into…" he blushed. "…relationships."  
  
There was another long moment of silence.  
  
The silence grew so thick and both Tasuki and Chichiri were afraid to break it. It was as if saying something would force the both of them to face the new difficulty set before them.  
  
And they really didn't want to.  
  
"It's okay, Chichiri…"  
  
Chichiri glanced up and saw Tasuki looking at him. The other's face was blank, deprived of all emotion. He shivered.  
  
"Like I said…"the younger seishi continued. "I really wasn't expecting you to feel the same way…" /But I really wasn't expecting you to openly reject me either!/ his mind argued and he tried to ignore the tears that were threatening to fall.  
  
"But that doesn't mean that we should stop being friends, no da." Chichiri quickly interrupted. The thought of losing Tasuki completely was too much for the poor monk to think about. He fervently hoped that his close friendship with Tasuki wasn't going to be destroyed because of this new revelation.  
  
The bandit simply gave him a half-hearted smile. "Yeah…"  
  
"So…"Chichiri said carefully and shyly averted his gaze to Tasuki. "Still friends, no da?"  
  
Tasuki smirked and winked. "Hell, yeah!"  
  
Chichiri smiled in relief and turned his attention back to the meal before him…and he did not see the anguished look that crossed the other's face once his back was turned.  
  
  
  


On to part two 


	2. part 2

HANDS OFF THE BANDIT, NO DA! (2/3)  
BY : Chikki 

Warnings Other characters may seem OOC. Tasuki has a _VERY_ impressive vocabulary of official "bandit" words, no da…so it's PG 13 for swearing…oh…and some yaoi too,na no da. (^_^)  
Disclaimer Not mine. Never will be,na no da.   
  
  
  


The night that followed felt like hell for Tasuki. He kept replaying the same events over and over again in his mind, how Chichiri's face had seemed blank when he first confessed how he felt, how his eye had shone with disbelief when the realization began to sink in, and how he had seemed guilty when he refused to accept Tasuki's love.  
  
Suddenly, Tasuki heard something and listened closely. He realized that they were gasps and moans coming from the room next to him. Very loud gasps and moans actually.  
  
Groaning, Tasuki buried his head into his pillow. He felt like shit right now and the fact that Miaka and Tamahome had the room next to his and were obviously bonding was not helping any.  
  
The bandit fingered the edge of his pillow sadly. Maybe if he hadn't told Chichiri about how he felt, he would still be over at the monk's room right now, drinking sake and talking.   
  
At least that would have been more enjoyable. Tasuki thought bitterly. Anything was more enjoyable then listening to Miaka and Tamahome as they engaged themselves in…  
  
"MIAKAAA!"  
  
The young seishi winced and made a note to himself to burn Tamahome tomorrow for disrupting his sleep. Not that he could sleep anyway, he was too preoccupied with his thoughts. More specifically, he was too preoccupied with thoughts he had no business entertaining about a certain blue-haired monk that had the uncanny ability to make Tasuki melt into a puddle within a few minutes.  
  
After a few more hours of tossing and turning, Tasuki finally drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
The next morning, Chichiri went for breakfast after a sleepless night and was overwhelmed with surprise when he was met with a very peculiar sight.  
  
During mealtimes, Tasuki always sat down next to him. Always. Ever since the first time all of them had sat down together to a meal as Suzaku Schiseishi.  
  
But this time, it was not so.  
  
The new seating arrangements were the first thing that caught the monk's attention. Hotohori was at the head of the table, of course. He was the emperor after all.   
  
Usually, Miaka sat to the emperor's right, for she was the Suzaku no Miko.   
  
Usually, Hotohori spent mealtimes talking and laughing with Miaka.  
  
Usually, Tamahome was there by Miaka's side to shoot the emperor a warning look whenever he got too cozy.  
  
This morning, however, was different.   
  
Now, instead of Miaka, Tasuki was seated at Hotohori's right. Next to him was Tamahome, and next to Tamahome was Mitsukake. Across the table from Tasuki sat Nuriko, and next to him was Chiriko.  
  
Miaka, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found.  
  
Gingerly, Chichiri entered the room and sat down on the only seat left, the one next to Mitsukake. The healer glanced up and smiled to acknowledge the monk's presence but was soon distracted by the other happenings on the table.  
  
It was then that Chichiri finally glanced around the table and noticed that all the seishi were acting very strangely. He sweatdropped. What was going on?   
  
"Would you like more sake, Tasuki-chan?" Tamahome's voice broke into the monk's thoughts.  
  
"Err…no thanks, Tama no baka…I'm just fine." Tasuki said nervously.  
  
The dark-haired seishi frowned and even Chichiri raised one elegant eyebrow at the comment. Tasuki was turning down sake? That was a first.  
  
Tamahome leaned across the table and gazed into Tasuki's eyes worriedly. "You're turning down sake, Tasuki-chan? Are you okay?"  
  
"H-hai!" Tasuki said, laughing a bit. "I'm just fine."  
  
"If you say so, Tasuki-chan." Tamahome said sweetly and settled back in his chair although his eyes never left Tasuki's face.   
  
Chichiri glanced at Tamahome curiously. What was wrong with him? Since when did Tamahome start being so caring towards Tasuki?  
  
"Maybe you should let Mitsukake look over you, Tasuki-sama." Chiriko suggested, also leaning across the table to be able to gaze lovingly at Tasuki's face. Chichiri looked at the youngest seishi in disbelief. Chiriko too? He thought.  
  
Upon hearing his name mentioned, Mitsukake stood up a little too quickly and was at Tasuki' s side in an instant.  
  
"Tasuki?" Mitsukake said shyly. "I think Chiriko is right. I should take a look at you."  
  
Tasuki fixed the healer in a golden gaze and after a long, long while, the bandit let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, okay!" he grumbled. "But I'm tellin' 'ya! I'm fine!"  
  
Mitsukake eagerly started poking Tasuki.  
  
"ITAI!" the bandit yelled and turned around to glare hard at Mitsukake. "What the hell are you doing?! That hurts, 'ya know!"  
  
"Gomen nasai, Tasuki." Mitsukake said, and resumed poking.  
  
"Mitsukake! Stop poking me! Can't 'ya use your powers or something?"  
  
Grinning, the healer shook his head and began pulling at Tasuki's shirt.  
  
Tasuki was completely oblivious to the fact that while all this was happening, the rest of the seishi were now staring at Tasuki as Mitsukake began to strip Tasuki's shirt off.  
  
Chichiri blushed and looked down at his food. I will not look at Tasuki. I will not look at Tasuki. I will not look at Tasuki…  
  
However, the monk was forced to look when a high-pitched squeal pierced through the room. He glanced up and saw that Nuriko was walking around Tasuki in delight as he sized him up. His eyes had become all glittery.  
  
Tasuki glanced at the purple-haired seishi apprehensively. "Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
The only answer the bandit got was another high-pitched squeal as Nuriko glomped the poor bandit. "Wai! Wai!" he said. "You're so bishonen, Tasuki-chan!!"  
  
Tasuki nearly fell over but righted himself again in order to yell at Nuriko. "Argh! Get the hell away from me, Nuriko!" He pushed the giggling seishi away.  
  
Nuriko merely looked at Tasuki before giggling and glomping the younger seishi again.   
  
"ARGHHH!!"  
  
"You're so kawaii, Tas-chan!"  
  
"No! Go away, Nuriko!! Wha-what are you doing? Get your hand away from there, dammit!"  
  
"Oops! Sorry, Tas-chan!"  
  
"Did he hurt you, Tasuki-chan?" Tamahome's voice rang out. "I'll knock the pants out of him!"  
  
"Why, Tama-chan, I didn't know you cared!" Nuriko said, giggling and hiding his face behind his fan.   
  
Tamahome made a face and glomped Tasuki. "Shut up, Nuriko!" Tasuki stared at his friend disbelievingly and Tamahome blushed. "Oops! Sorry, Tasuki-chan!" He unglomped himself from Tasuki.  
  
Tasuki fell over.  
  
Chiriko timidly poked the fire seishi on the floor. "Tasuki-sama?" he asked.  
  
Tasuki looked up and narrowed his eyes at Chiriko. 'Yeah?"  
  
"Do you need to rest, Tasuki-sama?" Chiriko asked again, his eyes darting around the room nervously.  
  
"Damn right, I need to rest." The bandit said. "Tamahome is scaring the shit out of me! He's been acting so freakish!"  
  
In the background, Chichiri could see that Nuriko and Tamahome were now arguing over a piece of Tasuki's shirt that Nuriko had somehow managed to get. The monk hastily ate another piece of his food to avoid looking at what would happen next.  
  
"Well, you could stay in my room, Tasuki-sama!" The green-eyed seishi said happily, his eyes practically shining with delight. "I only have one bed, but that's okay, since we can share it, and…"  
  
"No way!" Mitsukake's voice called out angrily. Everyone turned to stare in surprise at the normally reserved seishi and Mitsukake cleared his throat. "Uh…I simply mean that it is probably a better idea if Tasuki stayed in MY room, seeing that he isn't feeling very well and it would be easier if I was within the area should he get worse."  
  
Tasuki frowned and got up from the floor. "But I already told 'ya! I'm fine!"  
  
Ignoring the red-haired seishi's outburst, Mitsukake grabbed a hold of Tasuki's wrist and began leading him out the door. "So if you'll excuse us…"  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Nuriko yelled, and a table went sailing over the air, landing on Mitsukake's head. Nuriko then laughed evilly and proceeded to link his arm through Tasuki's. "Come now, Tasuki-chan. You will be much more comfortable in my room, ne?" He winked.  
  
Tasuki said nothing, He was in too much shock.  
  
Tamahome then stomped up and tore Tasuki from Nuriko's grip. "No! Tasuki is not going with you because he's coming with me!" He turned a pleading glance at Tasuki. "Isn't that right Tasuki-chan?"  
  
"I…I…" Tasuki stammered, alert golden eyes quickly darting from one seishi to the other.  
  
Chichiri but his lip and turned to the only person who hadn't joined the Tasuki Fan Club. "Hotohori-sama, no da?"  
  
The emperor tore his gaze away from the scene before him to look at the monk. "Hai, Chichiri?"  
  
"Er…" The monk stopped and fidgeted a bit, trying to find the best way to ask. "What is going on, no da?"  
  
Hotohori laughed and ate a bit of his food. "It's all quite simple really, I'm surprised you haven't figured it out."  
  
"I haven't." Chichiri told him. "Tell me, na no da."  
  
"You see, Chichiri…" the emperor began and placed both his hands on the table. "Tasuki is a very…"  
  
"Very what, no da?"  
  
"Very enthralling young man." The emperor finished. He looked at Chichiri in amusement. "I'm sure that you would agree with me on that fact."  
  
Chichiri looked down and blushed. "Hai. I do, no da."  
  
"Now, since Tasuki is a very attractive young man, it is understood that he would, of course, have a lot of admirers." Hothori looked at Chichiri again to see the monk's reaction to his words, but the mask revealed nothing and Hotohori sighed in disappointment.  
  
"Anyway" Hotohori continued. "Word got out that you turned him down last night…"  
  
"NANI, NO DA?"   
  
"Relax, Chichiri!" Hotohori said. " We all knew that he was planning to tell you of his feelings last night!"  
  
Chichiri buried his face in his hands. "Daaa…" he said in defeat.  
  
Hothori laughed. "Don't feel so bad, Chichiri. It was obvious that Tasuki had, what we like to call, an infatuation with you, so Tamahome and the others stayed away from Tasuki to give him happiness."  
  
"But you…" He gave Chichiri an accusing look. "You turned him down last night. So now, they are just taking up the chance to grab Tasuki while he's unavailable." The emperor leaned back and continued to watch Chichiri, wondering how he would take the news. "Do you understand?"  
  
"I…" Chichiri started.  
  
"Yes, Chichiri?"  
  
"I see, no da." The monk said quietly and turned away from Hotohori, his mask still revealing nothing, but his whole body saying that he would like to do nothing more at that moment then to grab Tasuki from the rest of the seishi who were still ogling over him and claim the fiery-haired bandit as his own.  


  
  
  
To Be Continued...


	3. part 3

HANDS OFF THE BANDIT, NO DA! (3/3)  
BY : Chikki 

Warnings Other characters may seem OOC. Tasuki has a _VERY_ impressive vocabulary of official "bandit" words, no da…so it's PG 13 for swearing…oh…and some yaoi too,na no da. (^_^)  
Disclaimer Not mine. Never will be,na no da.   
  
  
  


When breakfast was relatively over, the monk excused himself and spent the whole day wandering about the palace, deep in his thoughts. The fact that most of his fellow seishi had fallen for the same red-haired, loud-mouthed bandit that he had disturbed him greatly.   
  
Chichiri sighed and wondered why Hotohori had not been chasing after Tasuki the whole day, much like the other seishi were. It was very surprising that the young emperor had not complained and had merely smiled good-naturely when people started paying more attention to Tasuki than him. Having everybody's full attention was an everyday luxury that Hotohori was used to.  
  
What's more was that Chichiri had not seen Miaka the whole day. By the time that the sun had set, Miaka was still nowhere to be found.  
  
The monk sighed again and stared out the lake that he had been fishing in for a good two hours or so. The day had not gone well at all. After the disconcerting scene that Chichiri had witnessed during breakfast, he had resolved to avoid Tasuki and the other seishi at all costs, and it had not been easy.  
  
Everywhere that the monk went, he was met with the sight of Tasuki either trying to ward off Tamahome and the others or desperately trying to hold off his own when the other seishi did manage to catch up with him.  
  
Once more, Chichiri furrowed his brow and wondered again where Miaka had gone off to, and if she knew that her Tamahome was currently flirting with one of her seishi. The monk smiled bitterly. _ 'Not that I wouldn't mind flirting with Tasuki a bit for myself…' _ he mused, than scolded himself mentally for allowing a thought such as that to pass through him.   
  
"ARGH! QUIT FOLLOWIN' ME AROUND, CHIRIKO!!" Tasuki's voice boomed throughout the courtyard and Chichiri smiled affectionately when his mind conjured up an image of Tasuki getting all red in the face with fury. He chuckled quietly.  
  
Chichiri reeled in his fishing line and started to walk towards the corridor where his room was. When he got there however, a very unexpected sight met him.  
  
A few feet down the corridor from his room was a very disgruntled-looking Tasuki. Chiriko was wrapped around his right leg and the bandit was trying to tug him off, though it was obviously to no avail. Behind Tasuki was Mitsukake, and the healer himself was smiling from ear to ear, occasionally brushing back Tasuki's jagged bangs from his face. An action that would cause the hot-tempered bandit to glare at the healer.   
  
Tamahome and Nuriko were still arguing over the torn piece of Tasuki's shirt that the purple-haired seishi had managed to get at the breakfast table. Even Tama-neko, who was perched on Mitsukake's shoulder as usual, was wearing a T-shirt with Tasuki's face on it.  
  
"But, Tasuki-sama…!" Chiriko insisted. "I want to make sure that you're going to be all right!"  
  
"What the fuck do you mean?"  
  
Mitsukake's deep voice suddenly rose up all above the other two. "We just want to make sure that you wouldn't sink into depression today."  
  
"Wha' the hell? Tama, could please stand a little farther away from me?!"  
  
"Oops, sorry Tasuki-chan!" Tamahome said, laughing nervously, backing away. "Really, Tasuki-chan! We just wanted to make sure that you were going to be all right!"   
  
Tasuki's face still looked confused. "But I am all right!"  
  
Nuriko shook his head and linked an arm through Tasuki's. "Now, now, Tasuki-chan. You don't have to put on the brave front for us. We all know how Chichiri rejected you last night."  
  
Tasuki pulled away. "WHAT?!"  
  
Mitsukake nodded, the expression on his face grim. "Hai, we do, Tasuki. That's why you don't have to be afraid if you ever want us to comfort you."  
  
Tasuki winced as the smile on the tall man's face suddenly took on a hentai grin and he nervously edged away. "But, I'm just fine!" he insisted feebly.  
  
Tamahome placed his hands on his hips and he struck a martial arts pose. "Don't worry Tasuki! I'll give that bad Chichiri what he deserves!"  
  
"NO!" Tasuki yelled out frantically and everyone present turned to look at him, including Chichiri, who had hidden himself in the shadows. Surprised by the intensity of what he had just said, Tasuki sweatdropped and cleared his throat. "That is…I don't want you to hurt him, Tamahome."  
  
"But…WHY?" Tamahome said furiously. "You don't deserve the hurt that he gives you!"  
  
At these words, Chichiri brought his hands up to his face guiltily. Tamahome was right. The bandit didn't deserve the pain that Chichiri had placed on him.  
  
Having seen enough, Chichiri backed away from the others and turned around the corner. He would just retire to his room later, when he was sure that the others had vacated the corridor that his room was in. Absently, Chichiri wondered what they were doing in that particular corridor in the first place, seeing that it was situated in the area of the palace that was very much detached from all the people and activity that his fellow-seishi loved so much.  
  
The brooding monk was just passing Hotohori's chambers when he heard a muffled sigh. His curiosity aroused, Chichiri headed for the room and noted with surprise that the door was slightly open.   
  
Chichiri entered and darted his gaze from one corner of the room to another, trying to find anything that could be out of place. When he saw what, or rather who were on the floor, the monk burst out laughing.  
  
Miaka looked up from where she had been assembling a train set on the floor of Hotohori's room. When she saw Chichiri, her face broke into a relieved smile. "Chichiri! Thank goodness you're here!!"  
  
"Miaka, no da? What are you doing, na no da?" Chichiri asked in an amused tone, his gaze still on the train set on the ground.  
  
The brunette girl next to him laughed and rolled her eyes. "Apparently, Hotohori has come to the conclusion that he needs to spend more time playing with some of the stuff he found in my backpack. He says that I might as well since he thinks that I probably would not want hang out around the palace. He told me that it would probably chaotic today." Miaka threw up her hands in exasperation. "He's been bugging me to finish this train set ever since this morning!"  
  
"So why didn't you just refuse, na no da?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" Miaka said, sighing. "You know how he is. He makes that puppy face of his, and we can't say no."  
  
Chichiri laughed. "True, true."  
  
"Anyway, you have to help me before he comes back." Miaka said, pulling Chichiri to sit on the ground near the train set. The monk looked at the contraption before him and sweatdropped. "Ano, no da…I have no idea how this works, na no da."  
  
"Please, Chichiri! If I have to read The Emperor's New Clothes to him again, I'm going to go insane!" Miaka exclaimed. "I have to get out of here! Who knows what Tamahome might have been up to while I was gone?"  
  
At this statement, Chichiri choked and fixed his gaze on the ground. _ Oh, I dunno, no da. Maybe he's been flirting with MY_ _Tasuki-chan, na no da?_ He thought. Then, he berated himself again for letting another romantic thought concerning Tasuki pop up unexpectedly once more.  
  
"What was that?" Miaka asked.  
  
Chichiri's eye opened wide beneath the mask and he sweatdropped profusely. He hadn't realized that he had spoken his thoughts out loud. "Er…nothing, na no da."  
  
Miaka settled back down and attacked another train track to the other tracks already in place. "Speaking of Tasuki, Hotohori told me about how everyone else had acted this morning."  
  
The monk looked up. "Da?"  
  
"It was bound to happen soon, you know." Miaka said, ignoring the monk's curious stare. "Tamahome told me that Tasuki just confessed his feelings to this guy last night, but the guy rejected him, So when he went back to his room, he was all crying and stuff."  
  
Chichiri's grip on a train track tightened and he flushed guiltily. "Err…" Chichiri continued, not looking at Miaka, and set the track he held in his hands in place. "Do you know who..um..Tasuki confessed to, no da?"  
  
Miaka shrugged. "No. Tamahome wouldn't tell me." She grinned evilly. "Would have been fun to know though. Imagine! Tasuki in love!" She sighed dreamily. "Who ever he likes is really a very lucky person. A lot of people like Tasuki, and they would probably jump at the chance to get him, now that he's not taken. If I weren't so in love with Tamahome, I would probably go after him too!" She squealed.   
  
Chichiri suddenly stood up. "I have to go now, no da."  
  
His miko's face fell. "But Chichiri! You have to help me!"  
  
The monk simply smiled at her apologetically and walked out the door. "Gomen ne, no da."  
  
  
  
~~~~~~  
  
That night, Chichiri stared up at his ceiling, unable to fall asleep. He still felt very guilty, now that he knew about how Tasuki had taken his rejection last night. He also began to feel angrier towards himself with each passing minute. _ Why hadn't I just said YES?_ He thought in frustration.  
  
After a few more minutes of restless movement, Chichiri sat up and shook his head. He just couldn't get to sleep!   
  
_Maybe I should go and see how Tasuki is doing no da…_ He thought absently, then he smacked himself in the head. _ No! _  
  
A part of his mind argued with him. _ But it wouldn't be in the romantic sense or anything! You could just go and…you know, See if he's all right._  
  
Chichiri pondered about that for a while. Having made his decision, he got out of bed and began to make his way towards Tasuki's room.  
  
The first thing that Chichiri noticed when he got to the hallway with Tasuki's room was the presence of all the other seishi's chi. He frowned and looked around. _ That's strange… _ he thought. _ I could sense them but I don't see them anywhere._  
  
Shrugging this off, he reached Tasuki's room. He took a deep breath and knocked a few times. Chichiri waited but there was no answer. The monk frowned. Tasuki _ should_ be in his room at this hour. He knocked again. Still no answer.  
  
Gathering up his courage, Chichiri pushed open the door.  
  
"REKKA SHINEN!!"  
  
Chichiri ducked just in time to avoid the bolt of fire that rushed just above his head. "DAAA!"  
  
The fire stopped, and when all the smoke cleared, he could make out the figure of Tasuki standing on the bed. "Chichiri?" the bandit asked in a suspicious voice.  
  
"Tasuki-kun, no da?"  
  
"CHICHIRI!" Tasuki jumped off the bed and began to run towards him. Just when he was about to reach the monk, he suddenly stopped, and even in the darkness, Chichiri could see the blush that began to stain the other's cheeks.  
  
"Er, Tasuki-kun? Why did you just almost fry me, na no da?"  
  
Tasuki blushed again and he fingered his tessen nervously. "Ah! I just thought that you were Tamahome or someone else…they've been tryin' to get into my room to do hentai things to me the whole fuckin' night!"  
  
As if on cue, Tamahome suddenly burst in through the door and jumped directly on Tasuki's bed. "Tasuki! Is everything okay? Do you need anything?"  
  
Chichiri sweatdropped. "Ano, Tamahome-kun…"  
  
Tamahome turned around and looked at him. His eyes narrowed, and he pulled Tasuki towards him. "What are you doing here?"" he turned towards the red-headed bandit who was struggling to get out of the firm grip that the younger man had on him. "Is he bothering you again, Tasuki-chan?"  
  
"No..! Dammit!" Tasuki successfully got away from Tamahome and he scooted to the opposite side of the room. "Get out of my room, Tamahome! I already told you that the first five times that you tried to come in here!"  
  
Tamahome pouted. "Tasuki-chan! Don't talk to me like that!"  
  
Nuriko appeared as well. Grinning, he walked over to Tasuki, having not seen the monk cowering by the doorway and placed his arms tightly around him. "Tasuki-chan~~! Is Tamahome disturbing you again? Let me take care of him Tasuki-chan!"   
  
Cheerfully, the purple-haired seishi walked over to where Tamahome was still pouting on the bed and picked him up easily by the ear. "Stop trying to take away my Tasuki-chan!" Nuriko yelled right into Tamahome's ear.  
  
"Whad'dya mean YOUR Tasuki-chan?" Tamahome yelled right back. "He's MINE!"  
  
"NO, MINE!"  
  
"MINE!"  
  
"HE'S MINE, OBAKE-CHAN!"  
  
"NO, HE'S MINE, NURIKO!"  
  
"MINE!!"  
  
"NO, MINE!"  
  
Tasuki looked away from the two other seishi and stared at the monk still leaning against his doorway. Chichiri was looking at the argument ensuing before him. Tasuki could not tell how Chichiri felt about the entire situation since the mask was still set surely on his face.  
  
The bandit set his mouth in a grim line. He had to talk to Chichiri. He couldn't stand this. Ever since this morning, he had tried to corner Chichiri and talk about the entire situation, but Nuriko or somebody else was always there to stop him.  
  
And the fact that the monk was obviously avoiding him was not helping, either.  
  
Cautiously, he began to make his way over to Chichiri, making sure to keep an eye on Tamahome and Nuriko.  
  
Just when he was about to get to Chichiri, Chiriko's smiling face popped right in front of him. "TASUKI-SAMA!!"  
  
"AHHHH!" Tasuki yelled and stepped backwards, startled by the younger seishi's sudden appearance. "Chiriko, don't do that!"  
  
"Gomen nasai, Tasuki-sama!" Chiriko said, his eyes beginning to brim with tears as he peered at the older youth before him. "I'm so sorry!"   
  
Tasuki's eyes softened and he reached out a hand to comfort the younger seishi. "Hey, Chiriko, Don't feel so bad…"  
  
Suddenly, Mitsukake stepped in between them. "Is there a problem?" he asked in his deep voice, gazing deeply into Tasuki's eyes.   
  
Chiriko glared darkly at the healer and stepped in front of him. "No, there isn't a problem, Mitsukake-san, At least not until YOU appeared!"  
  
Mitsukake smiled at the shorter boy innocently. "Why? What did I do?"  
  
"You know very well what you did! Just when Tasuki finally paid a little attention to me too!" Chiriko cried out and hit the older man with a pillow.  
  
Mitsukake snarled and grabbed another pillow from Tasuki's bed. "Oh yeah…?" He then proceeded to pound the younger seishi with it, also making a point to hit Tamahome and Nuriko as well.  
  
"Hey!" Nuriko yelled. "My hair!"  
  
"Darn you, Mitsukake!" Tamahome cried out. "I'll teach you!"  
  
Tasuki looked at the scene before him wearily. Things were really getting out of hand. There was so much noise. Everyone was shouting at everyone else and Tamahome was starting to use his martial art skills. A shelf went sailing over his head and it landed right next to Mitsukake.  
  
The healer glared at Nuriko, who was brushing his hands off with satisfaction. "ARRGGHHHH!" he lunged at the other seishi, to which Nuriko simply responded by glaring at the other seishi in return.  
  
Tamahome was beginning to punch holes through the walls in Tasuki's room and Chiriko was shouting and hitting everyone with pillows as well.  
  
"TASUKI IS MINE!"  
  
"MITSUKAKE! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT, HE'S MINE!!!"  
  
"CHIRIKO! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS! TASUKI IS MINE!!"  
  
"I THOUGHT YOU LOVED MIAKA!"  
  
"WELL, NOW, I LOVE TASUKI!"  
  
"HE'S MINE!"  
  
"NO, MINE!!!"  
  
"MINE!"  
  
  
Tasuki's ears were ringing with all the loud cries of "MINE!" and he blindly made his way towards the the other end of the room, where Chichiri was. There was a lot of debris flying around, thanks to Tamahome's kicks and punches, and there was also a lot of furniture cruising above his head, courtesy of Nuriko.  
  
Then, somehow during the fight, Tasuki got thrown into a wall, and he slammed into it. Hard.   
  
The bandit brought his hands up to his head. When he brought it back down, and stared at it dazedly, he noticed that there was blood on it. He smiled weakly. Great. He thought. Now, I'm bleeding.  
  
"Mine!!!"  
  
"NURIKOO! STOP THAT! TASUKI-KUN IS MINE!"  
  
"HE'S MINE!"  
  
"MINE!"

Suddenly, there was a bright red flash of light and everyone present turned to look at the monk by the doorway, his slight form surrounded by a red aura, his eyebrows drawn together in anger. He glared at everyone present. (Except of course, to his dear Tasuki. ^_~)  
  
"TASUKI-CHAN IS MINE, NO DAAAA!!!"  
  
Angrily, Chichiri walked over to where Tasuki was. All the other seishi nervously backed away when he came. Chichiri bent down and met Tasuki's eyes. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.  
  
Staring at his friend disbelievingly, Tasuki nodded, wondering if he had hit his head too much. "H-hai."  
  
Chichiri smiled gently and ran his hands through Tasuki's hair. When he saw that Tasuki's head was bleeding however, Chichiri frowned and once again, he turned around to glare darkly at the other seishi behind him, who were now all silent.  
  
"Mitsukake-kun, no da." Chichiri said, his voice polite yet cold and venomous. "I should think that this is the time that you're needed here, na no da." He stared hard at the tall healer.  
  
Gulping nervously, Mitsukake hurried over to where Tasuki was, and under Chichiri's watchful eye, he began to heal the wound that the bandit had.  
  
Once he was done, and all the green sparkly bubbles had disappeared, he backed away quickly.   
  
Chichiri inspected Tasuki's head wound once more, the younger bandit still having a hard time believing that Chichiri was actually here, fussing over him. Apparently satisfied with the healing job that Mitsukake had done, he stepped back. "Okay, no da!"  
  
Then, he gathered Tasuki in his arms and started to make his way out the door. Just before he went out however, he gave all the other seishi one last stare. "No one is going to bother MY Tasuki again tonight, understood?"  
  
Everyone else shifted guiltily and mumbled. "Hai."  
  
Chichiri nodded and exited the room, Tasuki still nestled protectively in his arms.  
  
After a few moments of walking in silence, Tasuki looked at the other seishi carrying him and twiddled his fingers together. "Er…Chichiri?"  
  
"Hai, no da?"  
  
"Um…you can put me down now." Tasuki said sheepishly, ducking his head to avoid the other man from seeing the blush that had spread across his face rather rapidly. But Chichiri saw it anyway, and the monk smirked.  
  
"Now why would I want to do that, na no da?" he said in amusement and he smiled down at the younger man.  
  
Tasuki's eyes widened and he blushed fiercely once more. "Er…uh…um.."  
  
Chichiri laughed and leaned in, so that their faces were only a few inches apart. "Don't you know by now, no da? You're mine, Tasuki-kun…"  
  
The possessive tone in the soft voice that spoke those words sent shivers up and down the younger seishi's spine and he smiled again at the absurdity of everything that had happened. Then, the bandit grinned, exposing his fangs. He reached up and laughing, he tweaked one of Chichiri's bangs. "Oh! So I'm yours now, 'ey?"  
  
Chichiri grinned at him. "Hai, no da."  
  
Tasuki laughed and glanced down the corridor they were in. "Where are we going?"  
  
"My room, no da."  
  
An amused grin spread across Tasuki's face once more. "Why?"  
  
Chichiri laughed as they reached his room. Still smiling, he opened the door and he slipped the both of them inside.   
  
He smirked at the Tasuki's flushed face as he set the younger man on his bed. "Now, wouldn't you just love to know, na no da…" ^_^  
  
  
  
OWARI DESU  



End file.
